Simple experiment yields unexpected results: New lotus area discovered in Atyrau

A simple experiment by two schoolgirls in Kazakhstan's Atyrau region has led to an unexpected result. 11-year-old Shattiq Xami and 12-year-old Ayim Jankeldi planted lotus seeds ordered from China in a pond near their home, and two years later, they created a new lotus-growing area. This was reported by AtyrauPress.

The girls tried to grow lotuses at home in 2024. Later, they decided to plant the seeds in a natural water body. While the first leaves appeared on the water surface in 2025, the lotuses bloomed for the first time in the summer of 2026.

The girls did not expect this experiment to result in the formation of a new lotus area. Experts from the Akzhayik State Nature Reserve discovered the new growth area during field research.

The lotuses grew in the Peretaska tributary near the village of Taskala. Experts noted that a new lotus population has formed here.

Previously, it was known that the main natural growth area of the lotus in the Atyrau region was in the Kurmangazy district.

Currently, another experimental project on lotus cultivation is being implemented in Atyrau with the participation of Chinese experts. 270 lotus plants have been planted in an area of nearly 500 square meters in the Tuxlaya Balka area.